Peoples Community Bank, West Chester, Ohio, was closed today by the Office of Thrift Supervision, which appointed the Federal Deposit` Insurance Corporation (FDIC) as receiver. To protect the depositors, the FDIC entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with First Financial Bank, National Association, Hamilton, Ohio, to assume all of the deposits of Peoples Community Bank.

The 19 branches of Peoples Community Bank will reopen on Monday as branches of First Financial Bank, N.A. Depositors of Peoples Community Bank will automatically become depositors of First Financial Bank, N.A. Deposits will continue to be insured by the FDIC, so there is no need for customers to change their banking relationship to retain their deposit insurance coverage. Customers should continue to use the existing branches until First Financial Bank, N.A. can fully integrate the deposit records of Peoples Community Bank.

Over the weekend, depositors of Peoples Community Bank can access their money by writing checks or using ATM or debit cards. Checks drawn on the bank will continue to be processed. Loan customers should continue to make their payments as usual.

As of March 31, 2009, Peoples Community Bank had total assets of $705.8 million and total deposits of approximately $598.2 million. First Financial Bank, N.A. will pay the FDIC a premium of 1.5 percent to assume all of the deposits of Peoples Community Bank. In addition to assuming all of the deposits of the failed bank, First Financial Bank, N.A. agreed to purchase essentially all of the assets.

The FDIC and First Financial Bank, N.A. entered into a loss-share transaction on approximately $657.6 million of Peoples Community Bank's assets. First Financial Bank, N.A. will share in the losses on the asset pools covered under the loss-share agreement. The loss-sharing arrangement is projected to maximize returns on the assets covered by keeping them in the private sector. The agreement also is expected to minimize disruptions for loan customers.

Customers who have questions about today's transaction can call the FDIC toll-free at 1-866- 954-9536. The phone number will be operational this evening until 9:00 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time (EDT); on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., EDT; on Sunday from noon to 6:00 p.m., EDT; and thereafter from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., EDT. Interested parties can also visit the FDIC's Web site at http://www.fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/peoplescommunity-oh.html.

The FDIC estimates that the cost to the Deposit Insurance Fund (DIF) will be $129.5 million. First Financial Bank, N.A.'s acquisition of all the deposits was the "least costly" resolution for the FDIC's DIF compared to alternatives. Peoples Community Bank is the 67th FDIC-insured institution to fail in the nation this year, and the first in Ohio. The last FDIC-insured institution to be closed in the state was Miami Valley Bank, Lakeview, October 4, 2007.

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Congress created the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in 1933 to restore public confidence in the nation's banking system. The FDIC insures deposits at the nation's 8,246 banks and savings associations and it promotes the safety and soundness of these institutions by identifying, monitoring and addressing risks to which they are exposed. The FDIC receives no federal tax dollars – insured financial institutions fund its operations.

FDIC press releases and other information are available on the Internet at www.fdic.gov, by subscription electronically (go to www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html) and may also be obtained through the FDIC's Public Information Center (877-275-3342 or 703-562-2200). PR-135-2009